Honouring Chris and Sheila Dillon: A Pioneering Season Completed
Written by Rob Duff
Chris and Sheila Dillon are returning home to Ireland to see what the Lord has for them next. The same obedience that led them to Lesotho is now leading them home. They leave having done exactly what they were meant to do.
Before There Was Anything
If you scroll back to the earliest days of this story, you will find them there. They were there on our first ever missions trip to Lesotho back in 201e. They were the reason we returned and began to explore what God might have for us to do in Lesotho. They were there as we got land and began to dream about creating loving, safe, family homes for orphaned and vulnerable children. Before homes were built, before a church stood on the mountain, before water flowed across the village, when there was simply land and a broken borehole in the corner.
This couple from Drimnagh chose to leave familiarity and step into a calling. They left behind their grown daughters and moved into a culture that was new to them. They learned new rhythms and built new relationships. They committed themselves fully to the village of HaLebesa and its people.
Chris and Sheila on an empty site that they were to build into a thriving community providing love and safety for vulnerable children.
Sweat, Cement and Perseverance
In the early days, resources were limited. Chris mixed cement by hand and drove repeatedly to the river to collect water so blocks could be laid. Progress came through steady and hard labour. Structures rose one layer at a time through effort and determination.
Seven years later, that once empty land is home to family houses filled with love and safety and structure, children who have been welcomed and loved, employment for local staff, a church established and growing, a workshop where skills are taught, and water systems serving the wider village.
I’ve had the pleasure of walking alongside them as they faced challenge after challenge with faith and humble confidence in God. They have carried responsibility in complex child protection cases, navigated government systems, built trust with the chief and community leaders, and made difficult decisions with integrity. Perseverance marks their lives and leadership.
Sheila shaped the heart of the place. She built relationships with joy and warmth and contagious laughter. She created space where children felt seen and secure. She connected deeply with house parents and neighbours. Her presence helped form a community, not just a project.
Faith That Took Root
Chris and Sheila carried their faith naturally and consistently. Their dependence on Jesus shaped how they led, how they endured pressure, and how they treated people. Liberty Church Ha Lebesa stands today because of that obedience. Worship now rises weekly from a place where once there was none. People entered into relationship with the Lord because of the witness they carried. That fruit remains.
Becoming Part of the Village
When they left, the community honoured them with traditional Basotho blankets. That gesture reflected belonging. They had woven themselves into village life. They attended funerals. They celebrated milestones. They showed up in difficult moments. They listened and learned. Their presence was steady and relational.
Through their leadership, others found purpose. Teams travelled because there was stable leadership to receive them. Builders built. Teachers taught. Professionals trained. Young people discovered calling. Many entered into mission because Chris and Sheila created the space for that obedience and demonstrated what is possible if you are willing to take a step of faith.
A Transition Marked by Integrity
Leadership transitions are significant moments in any work. Chris and Sheila have approached this one with clarity and care. They have prepared the ground well for those stepping into the next season. They have handed over responsibility thoughtfully and faithfully.
They return home still obedient. They remain connected to the work, committed to praying daily for the children, staff and leaders who continue on the mountain. The prayer that sustained them in uncertain beginnings continues now in this new chapter.
A Legacy That Remains
To stand on that land today is to see what obedience can build over time. Children live in safety. Staff serve with purpose. A village has been strengthened. A church gathers in faith. Structures stand where there was once only open ground.
Legacy is visible in lives changed and foundations laid. Mission at this level requires courage. It requires sacrifice. It requires daily faithfulness. Chris and Sheila lived one day at a time. Through that steady obedience, something extraordinary was established.
Chris and Sheila, we honour you. You gave your strength, your energy, your comfort and your years. You leave behind a thriving community and a strong foundation for what comes next. Lives are different because you said yes.
